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Outdoors - Muzzleloaders allow more deer season

Larry Matthews took this doe with a muzzleloading rifle while hunting in Pender County. Photo by Mike Marsh

Published: Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 11:19 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 11:19 p.m.

The weather was clear as a bell and the air temperature was an autumn-chilled 53 degrees. A bit after sunrise, just as the sun was burning away the swamp mist swirling through the Spanish moss, gunfire split the stillness. One shot rang out, then, a few moments later, another. There was just enough time between for a hunter to reload a muzzleloading rifle.

Larry Matthews fired the two shots. He, his brother, Sammy, of Wilmington and their friend Gordon Sloan were near Maple Hill and made their way back to their deer-skinning shed with a large doe tucked inside a small trailer towed by an ATV.

"I shot the doe and missed another deer," Larry Matthews said. "The second deer was running and it is hard to hit a running deer with a muzzleloader."

Larry Matthews was shooting a .50-caliber Optima Rifle fitted with a telescopic sight. The rifle was loaded with a 250-grain bullet with an integral plastic seal over two, 50-grain pellets of Pyrodex black powder substitute. It was hardly a primitive weapon in terms of design, sights and loading. However, North Carolina regulations are extremely lenient compared to most other states in what weaponry is legal during the muzzleloading firearms season. Regulations allow the use of muzzleloading rifles, muzzleloading shotguns and muzzleloading pistols. Hunters are not allowed to use dogs for coursing deer during this firearms season, but placing agricultural products for bait while hunting deer on private property is legal.

At age 73, Larry Matthews has been coming down to the coast from his home in Sanford for about 30 years. He said that, besides a reason to enjoy hunting with his family and friends, the muzzleloading season gave him more hunting time.

"The muzzleloader season back home isn't open yet and it doesn't come in for a month," he said. "It gives me more chances to go deer hunting and I enjoy hunting here because there are lots of deer."

Sammy Matthews did not have as much luck as his brother. At age 78, he has also been hunting in the same area for decades. He said he wished he had put on heavier clothing and taken a seat pad along.

"I didn't expect it to get this cold, this early," he said. "All I saw was a redbird."

The hunters had been using ATVs to put out sweet potatoes by the trailer load in several hundred acres of woods. The deer had become accustomed to eating the additional forage, but remained elusive nonetheless. Sloan had not seen any deer that morning, but had taken a doe the afternoon of opening day, Sept. 28, two days before.

The hunters do not hunt during archery season, but had two weeks to use their muzzleloaders before the regular firearms season opens Oct. 12. The muzzleloading firearms season for deer was extended by one week and the use of archery gear was allowed during the muzzleloader season through changes three seasons ago. The extended season has allowed more hunters to head afield early, and the statewide deer harvest with muzzleloading firearms has increased as a result. "Using a muzzleloader isn't the most effective way to hunt deer," Sammy Matthews said. "But the muzzleloader season gives us a chance to go hunting before the modern gun season opens. Anything that lets you get out into the woods and go hunting is a good thing."

For more outdoors news, to buy one of Mike's books, or to contact Mike, go to mikemarshoutdoors.com.

<p>The weather was clear as a bell and the air temperature was an autumn-chilled 53 degrees. A bit after sunrise, just as the sun was burning away the swamp mist swirling through the Spanish moss, gunfire split the stillness. One shot rang out, then, a few moments later, another. There was just enough time between for a hunter to reload a muzzleloading rifle.</p><p>Larry Matthews fired the two shots. He, his brother, Sammy, of Wilmington and their friend Gordon Sloan were near Maple Hill and made their way back to their deer-skinning shed with a large doe tucked inside a small trailer towed by an ATV.</p><p>"I shot the doe and missed another deer," Larry Matthews said. "The second deer was running and it is hard to hit a running deer with a muzzleloader."</p><p>Larry Matthews was shooting a .50-caliber Optima Rifle fitted with a telescopic sight. The rifle was loaded with a 250-grain bullet with an integral plastic seal over two, 50-grain pellets of Pyrodex black powder substitute. It was hardly a primitive weapon in terms of design, sights and loading. However, North Carolina regulations are extremely lenient compared to most other states in what weaponry is legal during the muzzleloading firearms season. Regulations allow the use of muzzleloading rifles, muzzleloading shotguns and muzzleloading pistols. Hunters are not allowed to use dogs for coursing deer during this firearms season, but placing agricultural products for bait while hunting deer on private property is legal. </p><p>"My muzzleloader is accurate enough to kill a deer with," Larry Matthews said. "That's what counts."</p><p>At age 73, Larry Matthews has been coming down to the coast from his home in Sanford for about 30 years. He said that, besides a reason to enjoy hunting with his family and friends, the muzzleloading season gave him more hunting time.</p><p>"The muzzleloader season back home isn't open yet and it doesn't come in for a month," he said. "It gives me more chances to go deer hunting and I enjoy hunting here because there are lots of deer."</p><p>Sammy Matthews did not have as much luck as his brother. At age 78, he has also been hunting in the same area for decades. He said he wished he had put on heavier clothing and taken a seat pad along.</p><p>"I didn't expect it to get this cold, this early," he said. "All I saw was a redbird."</p><p>The hunters had been using ATVs to put out sweet potatoes by the trailer load in several hundred acres of woods. The deer had become accustomed to eating the additional forage, but remained elusive nonetheless. Sloan had not seen any deer that morning, but had taken a doe the afternoon of opening day, Sept. 28, two days before.</p><p>The hunters do not hunt during archery season, but had two weeks to use their muzzleloaders before the regular firearms season opens Oct. 12. The muzzleloading firearms season for deer was extended by one week and the use of archery gear was allowed during the muzzleloader season through changes three seasons ago. The extended season has allowed more hunters to head afield early, and the statewide deer harvest with muzzleloading firearms has increased as a result. "Using a muzzleloader isn't the most effective way to hunt deer," Sammy Matthews said. "But the muzzleloader season gives us a chance to go hunting before the modern gun season opens. Anything that lets you get out into the woods and go hunting is a good thing."</p><p>For more outdoors news, to buy one of Mike's books, or to contact Mike, go to mikemarshoutdoors.com.</p>